ferguson



(No Model.)

J. B. FERGUSON.

SCRUBBER.

No. 302,832. Patefitgd July 29, 1884.

WITNESSES NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN B. FERGUSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO HAMILTON K. GRAY AND AUGUSTUS BURGDORFF,

BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

SCRUBBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 302,832, dated July 29, 1884.

Application filed February 12, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scrubbers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

IO referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a scrubbing and I 5 cleaning device or scraper, or otherwise known as a squillgee, and the novelty consists in the construction and arrangement of parts to overcome certain obstacles and objectionable qualities, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth,and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Gheapness and simplicity of construction, utility and efficiency in service, and durability and economy of wear are desiderata in this class of devices.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device complete and ready for service; Fig. 2, a central section; Fig. 3,

a perspective view of a modification of one of c the clamping-plates; Fig. 4, a section of the handle in perspective, and Fig. 5 a detail view showing the rubber strip worn by use and the concave clamping-plates.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar 5 letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, A designates the inner clampingplate, and A the outer one. Rabbets a are provided upon each of the inner or facing surfaces, and longitudinally between the points 0 a a the body is concave, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3. A perforation, b, in theircenters receives the tenon b of the handle 13, which ordinarily is held therein by being driven home tightly; but as a further means 5 of securement a spring-key, b is provided, as shown in Fig. l. The rabbets a receive the rubber or other flexible strips, O, in such manner as to be readily removed or changed in position. and the clamp thus formed by the plates A and A is securely held together by the screws D. The surfaces contiguous to the handle-aperture I) are protected by a sheetmetal plate, f, secured upon either plate by screws or nails f, and these devices serve also to prevent the plates A A from splitting. As positioned in Figs. 1 and 2, the rubber strips 0 would, in service, being held at an angle, be worn in time until the edge a would approximate the character seen in Fig. 5. In such a contingency it is only necessary to unclamp the strip or strips and turn it or them end for end or side for side, to present a new and sharp edge.

In order to hold the rubber strips O firmly in the clamps against movement or displacement, I provide one of the bearingsurfaces with a longitudinal groove,- g, and the other with a corresponding projection, g,- hence when the clamp is in operation and the screws D are forced home the material of the strip throughout its length is forced into the groove and held against displacement as it is forced under heavy pressure against the deck or other surface being cleaned or dried.

If additional means for holding the strips are desired, the bearing-surface of one of the hold ing-strips can be provided with blunt pins or teats; which will project into the rubber; but I have found the longitudinal groove and projection g g to answer in all ordinary use of the squillgee.

When the clamping-plates are made of metal, they are preferably made concave, to render them elastic, so that in clamping them together and keying them to the handle the rubber will not be liable to work loose.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A scrubber or squillgee composed of two clamping-plates having rabbeted surfaces and a tongue and groove, one or more imperforate flexible strips adapted to be received in such rabbet and clamped therein, and a handle, as set forth.

2. The combination of the concave clamping-plates having a tongue and groove and rabbets, with the imperforate rubber strips, securing or clamping screws, and a handle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. FERGUSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES Soorr, KATE A. EMMoNs. 

